News

Report: Apple set to display ads in iTunes

By LC Angell ● Monday, April 24, 2006

Apple will soon be testing advertisements within iTunes, according to a report by Ad Age. The move is “sure to entice advertisers interested in reaching millions of devotees of the service. But it could be worrisome to the service’s users, who unplug from ad-supported media when they plug their earphones in,” says Ad Age. “That may be why Apple’s current plans call for the ads to appear only in the lower-left corner of the iTunes library while users listen to podcasts… But it’s a big step for the service, which has so far limited ad intrusions to audio spots embedded in some of the podcasts offered via iTunes. ESPN Radio, which supplies some of iTunes’ most popular ad-supported sports podcasts, is working with the service on the new advertising offering.”

Comments

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I swear to God I will dump iTunes and my iPods if they start intruding on my frigging personal listening time.

Apple is really showing their true corporate colors lately.

Posted by stark23x on April 24, 2006 at 1:15 PM (CDT)

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i love itunes.
i hate advertisements.
if i pay for my ipod, i should get advertisement-free itunes.

PERIOD.

Posted by fxspec06 on April 24, 2006 at 1:32 PM (CDT)

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As long as the ads only support free content, I’m not too concerned. If i’m playing/purchasing content, i don’t want to see /hear ads. I’ld even take free video content with must watch ads embedded in them. As with the MiniStore, the user should have the option to turn the ads off. That’s fair enough.

Posted by sbs905 on April 24, 2006 at 1:38 PM (CDT)

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I totally agree with all of you…Jobs is beginning to piss me off!!

Posted by Andipod on April 24, 2006 at 1:38 PM (CDT)

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sbs905 is exactly right.

Also, the linked article clearly states that it would currently only be a small visual ad ,and then only when you are using the computer - which would have zero impact on ones iPod listening experience. Since Apple is a corporation, one would expect their ‘colors’ to show through. Apple has a duty to its shareholders to make money. In addition, not all iTunes users are iPod buyers - which mean Apple makes $0.00 on those users.

Once again, people seem to get upset when companies want to make money - but the ones who don’t aren’t around for long. I personally am quite happy that Apple continues to find ways to keep itself in the black.

Posted by DJ on April 24, 2006 at 1:54 PM (CDT)

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maybe apple could put a version of itunes without the ads on the cd that comes with an ipod purchase. the free download from their website would, on the other hand, contain ads. makes sense, pay apple, you get premium service. if you’re a leech, expect a small ad.

Posted by ahmedh on April 24, 2006 at 2:17 PM (CDT)

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As soon as my itunes starts add suport, I will remove my suport from Aplle, that simple.

I understand adds in freee sofware, free websites, free tv, free radio, and even in the free itunes for non ipod users.

If apple does not provide ipod users who are obliged to use itunes with ipod, with an ad-free itunes , I will sell my ipod’s.

thank god there is competition in the market, and other manufactures also provide exelent player with less(NONE) intrusion or mandatory sofware.

Posted by Jose Santos on April 24, 2006 at 2:27 PM (CDT)

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Apple does not pay to bring me ANY of the podcasts I listen to. NOt one of them. The bandwidth comes directly from the podcast producers. Why then should I be forced to see advertising if I happen to use iTunes to play the podcast?

Either iTunes in the way in to the music store and they’re satisfied with that, or it’s a paid-for program without ads, or it’s adware. PICK ONE, APPLE.

Watch how many poeple walk away when they do this. People will only take so much. Pushing ads to my desktop is over the line for me.

Posted by stark23x on April 24, 2006 at 3:28 PM (CDT)

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If the ads keep the prices low, bring ‘em on. Just please make them relevant and place them so they don’t disrupt the content.

Posted by rjd on April 24, 2006 at 3:36 PM (CDT)

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I have no use for podcasts, so I really don’t care. But this is just another intrusion into everyone’s life. Aren’t we bombarded enough with advertisements already? It’s bad enough that you buy a DVD movie and get hit with a bunch of annoying ads and previews. Quit trying to frickin’ sell me something.

Posted by Mr_Strat on April 24, 2006 at 4:05 PM (CDT)

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hmmm, let me put it this way…

THIS SUCKS

Posted by formatc1702 on April 24, 2006 at 4:58 PM (CDT)

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Come on this isn’t so bad… It’s not as if they are gonna infest your computer with adware. Alot of you are acting like you are owed somthing when it comes to podcasts. How do you expect Apple to get by and keep coming up with great new software and hardware if you won’t allow them to make money? It’s the Apple Corporation not the Apple Salvation Army.

Posted by JeremytheIndian on April 24, 2006 at 5:54 PM (CDT)

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For me, just another reason to not use iTunes.

Posted by proanim8r on April 24, 2006 at 6:21 PM (CDT)

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...if you won’t allow them to make money?

Ahem…have you seen their quarterly profit reports lately? ‘Making money’ is NOT something they’re having any problem doing.

Posted by flatline response on April 24, 2006 at 6:42 PM (CDT)

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Ads for podcasts…me no care, since I don’t do podcasts.

Ads that show up when I’m ripping my own CDs…now THAT I would raise a BIG stink over should that day come.

Posted by flatline response on April 24, 2006 at 6:44 PM (CDT)

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i really dont want ads in itunes. i suppose i can put up with them if theyre really tiny… and i mean really tiny…

Posted by pt.2k6 on April 24, 2006 at 6:50 PM (CDT)

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There are already ads in several audio and video podcasts that are in the iTunes directory, and I don’t see them as intrusive at all (I fast-forward through them if I’m impatient) - so long as they stay in podcasts and nowhere else. That includes ad-free TV episodes.

Posted by MICHAE2414 on April 24, 2006 at 7:22 PM (CDT)

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I can’t work out if the ads are going to be in the music store, or when playing the podacst, or just in iTunes all the time. I don’t use the music store so it makes no odds to me if they’ll be there, I do use podcasts, but none are on iTMS so theywon’t be affected…can someone please clarify this for me?

If it’s an all round advert scheme, I will continue using iTunes, it just will be denied internet access completely on my firewall and never upgraded, simple.

Posted by silver_haze20 on April 24, 2006 at 8:02 PM (CDT)

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What are talking about here? A new ad scheme OR just podcasts embedding ads and it showing up in the album art tray? The blurb here mentions the “lower-left side” which is where the art tray is.